An explosion and the stampede that followed at a high school in the Central African Republic have killed at least 29 students and injured more than 250.

At least 29 students were killed and 260 others were injured in a stampede in Central African Republic's capital city after an electrical transformer exploded while thousands of students were taking an exam at a high school.

Twenty-nine students taking their high school exams in the Central African Republic died in a stampede sparked by an exploding power transformer, the health ministry said on Thursday. Just over 5,300 students were sitting the second day of the baccalaureate exams at the time of the explosion early Wednesday afternoon in Bangui,